


Sharing is Caring

by philaetos



Series: Studies [5]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Relationship, I don’t know how to tag this, Lamb and Baz are the established relationship, M/M, Polyamory, Simon’s dating them too, Threesome - M/M/M, and then boom, if you’re reading this it’s because you read my Studies so you know what you’re here for anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:21:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29986248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/philaetos/pseuds/philaetos
Summary: What if Baz didn’t have to choose between Simon and Lamb?———————————Alternative ending toA Study in Time
Relationships: Lamb/Simon Snow, Lamb/Tyrannus Basilton “Baz” Pitch, Lamb/Tyrannus Basilton “Baz” Pitch/Simon Snow, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Series: Studies [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010952
Comments: 12
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> hello again!
> 
> soooooo this is the simon/baz/lamb alternative ending... it has everything in comment with the 4 Studies, except for the 11 last chapters of A Study in Time, which means that Baz’s party to celebrate the release of his book (which was when Baz became comfortable with having sex again, that’s important to mention) has passed and Simon and Baz are friends, but Baz never told Lamb that he wanted to get back together with Simon, therefore they haven’t broken up.   
> There is a thing in common with the last chapters of a Study in Time though, and it’s the fact is that Lamb went to America, forcing Baz to be alone and be more independent. However, he only left for 2 weeks, as he originally told Baz he would, instead of several months like in the Snowbaz ending
> 
> This story starts approximately 3 months after Baz’s party, some time in May
> 
> also, I won’t be able to upload once a day. for the moment I’d say once a week, just to be sure, but it will probably be more than that, just not daily

**Simon**

I hate to admit it, but I’m starting to like that Lamb bloke.

I still hate seeing him around Baz because I’m painfully reminded that  _ he  _ is Baz’s boyfriend and I’m not, but in the rare moments when I’m alone with him, or when Baz and him aren’t making it obvious that they’re a couple, he isn’t so bad.

He’s kind of like Baz, actually.

By that I mean that he’s smart, but not in that showy way Penny is -I love her, but she is the perfect example of a knows-it-all and it can get frustrating. 

That he has that unfazed attitude -though while Baz is actually an overthinker, I think Lamb truly is unfazed-, that aura of confidence and that biting sense of humour that I long thought were things I hated about Baz but that truly were things that drew me to him. 

I guess that’s what drew them together too. They’re similar. They  _ match. _

And as it turns out, another of their similarities is that Lamb also has a talent for music…

I didn’t mean to intrude on him while he was playing, alright? Baz is the one who told me to go wait for him in the flat - _ their  _ flat, I think bitterly- while he ran to the shop to buy something. 

So really, it’s Baz’s fault.

Besides, I think I’ve done worse when it comes to invasions of privacy than sneaking on someone while they play an instrument. I literally caught Baz crying in front of his mother’s grave once -not my proudest moment, I felt so bad.

I don’t think Lamb has noticed me though -which is weird, he  _ is  _ a vampire, he has the same super good hearing as Baz does- because he didn’t stop playing, and he didn’t even slightly move or look my way since I walked in. 

So I just stand near the entrance of the flat, and I watch. 

He’s wearing the kind of fancy trousers that must be part of a suit, with a simple white shirt. I’ve never seen him wear anything else. Does he  _ own  _ anything else?

Also, isn’t it weird that he hangs around his own place in such restricting, uncomfortable clothes? I can barely bear to wear  _ jeans  _ when I’m home. Even Baz, all posh prat that he is, used to revert to more comfortable clothes when he wasn’t going outside. 

I mean maybe Lamb is dressed like that because he knew I was coming and didn’t want me to see him in his comfy clothes. I don’t really know where he stands with me. I don’t think he hates me, not anymore, he is no longer as cold as he used to be, but I couldn’t tell if he likes me or not, you know?

Probably not. If he’s dating someone like _Baz Pitch_ he mustn’t want to be around people like me. He’s only forced to because I’m friends with Baz. 

The music is nice, though. That’s why I haven’t interrupted it yet. Baz would say I’m a traitor if he could hear me think that, but I definitely like the sound of piano more than I do violin. 

I think I’d have liked to learn how to play the piano, if I had grown up in one of those posh families and not in care. If I had grown up with my mother’s relatives…

I shake that thought.

The Mage would have never let that happen. Besides, they probably wouldn’t even want to take me in. No one did, until the Mage came for me.

And for all I know, the Saliburys are horrible people, it’s not like I’ve met them to be sure. I love Baz and his family, but they haven’t changed my opinion on the Old Families in general. 

I sigh, trying to keep them out of my head. Meeting a family that is only mine by blood won’t do anyone any good. I’m fine with Penny being my family.

My sigh must have been rather heavy, because the music stops, and when I focus my eyes on him, I see that Lamb is looking at me, which makes me blush.

“You’re not Baz,” Lamb says, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“I’m not Baz,” I mumble, as I kick my shoes off my feet.

Lamb stands from his seat, walking in my direction with that supernatural vampire grace. He looks like he’s floating, it’s infuriating. Why do vampires have to be so fucking  _ elegant. _

Though I’m not sure it’s a vampire thing. Baz says it’s not, not completely at least. He says a lot of vampires he’s met still move like brutes, in spite of their vampirism that can makes their steps lighter than a human’s. So I guess the grace is also partly natural.

“I thought it was him who had come in.”

I scoff, as I take my jacket off and hang it on the rack. “Sorry to disappoint.”

He’s near me now, though far enough that he couldn’t touch me even if he fully extended his arm.

“I never said I was disappointed,” he says, one corner of his lips curling up in a smirk.

It makes me blush even more.

I should tell him to stop doing. He flirts with everyone, it’s the worst. I’ve seen him flirt with Niall -and Niall flirted back- and I’ve even seen him flirt with  _ Dev _ . And well, he flirts with me too, now that he doesn’t hate my guts for being a jerk to Baz anymore. 

I don’t know how Baz doesn’t go mad, watching his boyfriend flirt with every person he talks to for more than five seconds. 

“Hm, whatever,” I mumble. “Baz is the one who told me to come up here. I’d have waited downstairs if I knew you were here.”

He cocks one of his eyebrows. Baz and him are the same person, I swear to God.

“I live here. Of course I would be here.”

“Yeah… But… I mean… You…” Christ I hate those bloody vampires. It’s even harder to talk to them than to regular people _.  _ “ _ Usually _ ,” I continue, trying to make sense of my thoughts. “When I come here, you’re doing stuff in your office. I thought that’s what you’d be doing now too.”

Be simply hums, before changing his attitude to something more relaxed, which makes it less uncomfortable to be around him. He’s quite intimidating, that bloke. Not that I’d ever admit it out loud.

“Do you want a drink?” he asks, looking at me expectantly.

“I don’t drink,” I answer mechanically.

And it’s 4 in the afternoon. That’s much too early for alcohol either way. 

“I wasn’t suggesting that kind of drink. Don’t you want a cup of tea? Coffee? A glass of water? I think we have soda too.”

“Oh, well, some coffee would be nice then,” I answer, flushing again.

Crowley, why did I assume he was suggesting alcohol? I’m such a mess. 

I’m convinced that Baz, that wanker, told me to go wait for him in the flat instead of going to shop with him  _ just  _ so that I’d make a fool of myself in front of Lamb and so that they’d be able to make fun of me for it later, when they’re alone.

He knows I get awkward with people I don’t know that well, and even if I’ve spent a lot of time with Lamb, he still sort of fits into that category.

Nonetheless, I follow Lamb to the kitchen because running away would be even weirder. 

He turns on that fancy, expensive machine they own -as much as I give Baz shit for it, the machine makes amazing coffee- and grab an immaculate white cup from one of the numerous cupboards, putting that cup down where it belongs on the coffee maker.

It’s rather loud, and it’s not like we have anything to say to one another, so as my drink gets made, Lamb and I just stay in place, in silence, him leaning against the counter and me sitting on one of the high chairs. 

I think that those tables with high chairs are stupid, in kitchens, this is a flat not a fucking bar, but if I said at the regular table Lamb would be towering over me and I don’t want that.

He’s a bit shorter than Baz, but still taller than me.  _ Of course _ .

The machine stops its maddening noise, and soon, the rich smell of coffee fills up my nostrils as Lamb sets my cup in front of me.

“Can I have a piece of sugar, please?”

“It’s already in there,” Lamb says as he takes a seat in front of me, across the narrow high table. 

“What do you mean?”

He looks at me like I’m particularly dense -which, admittedly, I  _ am.  _

“I mean that I already put sugar in your coffee, because I know that’s how you take it.”

“ _ How  _ do you know that’s how I take it?”

He’s never served me a cup of coffee before. 

“I’ve heard you tell Baz ‘black coffee, one sugar’ enough times to remember it,” is all he answers. 

I shrug it off. Makes sense. 

I take a sip of my coffee, but it’s too hot and I burn my tongue. My hand jerks, spilling a few drops of liquid on the table, that I quickly wipe with my sleeve. 

“We have paper towels for that you know, no need to dirty your clothes,” Lamb comments.

I blush again. 

Jesus fucking Christ why can’t I stop acting like such a moron. If it was Baz it would be alright, I know that even when he makes fun of me, ultimately, he’s endeared by my awkwardness and messiness, he doesn’t think too badly of it. I highly doubt the same thing can be said about Lamb. 

“Do you think he’ll be gone for a long time? Baz, I mean?”

“Why?” Lamb says, as he rests his chin on the back of his joined hands. “Are you afraid to stay alone with me?”

That flirty voice again. Aleister Crowley.

I should tell him it makes me uncomfortable.

Well, no, not really  _ uncomfortable  _ per say. 

Still, I should tell him.

I  _ should _ .

“Well, who wouldn’t be afraid to be left alone with a vampire?” I answer instead, in a joking way.

I would  _ very  _ much like to be left alone with a vampire… It just depends on which vampire it is. If he has long black hair, moon grey eyes and a stupid posh accent, for example, I definitely would be okay with it…

Lamb gives me a smile. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite. Not unless I’m asked to, anyway,” he adds, his tone suggestive. 

I look down at my coffee, no longer able to hold his gaze. There’s something in it that bothers me.

Well, not really  _ bother _ , but…

_ Anyway. _

I take another sip, burning my tongue again, which seems to amuse Lamb greatly.

“To answer your question,” he says when I put mt cup down. “He should be back soon. I’m not supposed to tell you this, but he’s going to a bakery nearby to buy those pastries you like. He meant to go before you arrived but he’s been… busy.”

The implication in his voice makes it rather clear what Baz was busy with. It makes me cringe. 

I’m not an idiot, I know they have sex. Hell, I even  _ helped  _ them have sex again -which I’m still embarassed about but I think that despite how awkward that whole talk was, Baz was grateful for it and that’s what really matters. Still, that doesn’t mean I’m happy to know they fucked before I came.

I mean, it’s kind of rude, right?

Well.

I guess I did fuck Baz in his father’s study when I  _ knew  _ his parents would arrive soon, so I can’t really criticize them…

I blush.

Maybe thinking about when I used to fuck Baz isn’t the best thing I could do right now. 

**…**

**Lamb**

There’s something really entertaining about getting Simon all flustered. It’s funny in general, to tease humans ; they blush, sometimes their heartbeat even quicken -Simon’s does, his heart is racing in his chest- but it’s even funnier with him. It’s so  _ easy  _ with him. I just have to give him a mildly flirty smile and his whole face turns red.

Baz told me that when they were at school, when they ‘hated’ each other, he loved to taunt him just to see him lose his composure. I think I understand why.

**…**

**Simon**

After that, Lamb simply goes on to ask about my job, and I answer gladly -even though I know he cannot possibly care about my little bookshop stories, not like Baz does- because small talk is still better than whatever was going on before. Small talk doesn’t make that weird feeling grow inside my chest. 

So small talk is what we do, both Lamb and I progressively relaxing, which for me shows through my ability to babble more than a couple of words in a row, and for Lamb, shows in the way he holds himself, not as stiff and proper as when he first sat down. I’m actually having a rather good time listening to him telling me anecdotes about when he went to America a few weeks ago.

Merlin knows that was a messy time, Baz was completely lost all alone at first, but it helped him grow less dependent on Lamb, which is awesome even if you remove the fact that it means it  _ might  _ make it easier for me to get him back someday from the equation. His relationship with Lamb makes me less uncomfortable now that I know Baz can do well on his own. Now, apart from the whole collar thing that I still can’t really get behind, their relationship doesn’t make me uncomfortable anymore, actually.

It’s quite the opposite.

The more I see them together, the more I realize how  _ good  _ Lamb is for Baz, how happy they are together.

And it hurts. It hurts so fucking much, because I wish I could be the one making Baz happy like that, but I also don’t want to take this happiness with Lamb away from him. 

It’s so messy, how I feel about this.

I want Baz, that much is clear. I  _ know  _ deep in my core that he’s the one for me. He’d be my soulmate if soulmates were a thing -which they aren’t, as Penny lectured me about when I first said Baz was my soulmate. 

But more than anything else, I want Baz  _ to be happy. _

If that’s with Lamb and not me...

Well, I guess all I can do is accept it.

**…**

**Baz**

I wanted to treat Snow to some scones because I know he can’t get any sour cherry ones on his side of town, because we haven’t seen each other very often recently, and simply because I know it’ll make him smile which brightens my day immensely more than the scones do his.

I’m glad that we’re back to a point where seeing Simon Snow doesn’t cause any uneasy feeling in my stomach. It’s not something we got to experience  _ that  _ often, even when we were a couple, and I’m overwhelmed with joy when I think that we have been experiencing it for  _ months  _ now. As friends, sure, but it’s a first step.

I’m not sure I’m quite ready for the next step.

Despite my better judgment, and Lamb’s repeated requests  _ not  _ to fall in love with him, I have feelings for him. I haven’t fallen for him the way I have for Simon, I could never love someone like I do Simon Snow, but I care for him deeply, and I’m comfortable with him. It’s hard to think about letting this go…

I shake my head as I push the door at the back of the club, the one that directly leads to the lift that will take me to the flat. 

I have to talk to Lamb about this. He always gives me good advice, especially when it comes to Simon.

**…**

I enter the flat as discreetly as I can, because I’m rather curious to see how things went between Lamb and Simon, as they were alone together. 

Lamb has expressed an interest in becoming closer to Simon than they are now -which is admittedly not hard, they don’t really have a relationship of their own, it’s more that they both have a relationship  _ with me-  _ and I’d love nothing more than for them to be friends. It would make things easier for me and I’m selfish, so I decided to ‘force’ them to be alone together for more than a few minutes. 

Now let’s see if they’ve killed each other.

They haven’t.

They’re in the kitchen, sitting around the high counter that Lamb and I only use when Niall and Dev are over for drinks -well we do use it for other things, that require little clothes, and my friends to be absent, but that’s a whole other topic.

Lamb has apparently made Simon coffee -the moron drinks much more of that than he does tea- because Simon has a cup in front of him, and they’re chatting lightly. 

Simon seems comfortable. 

He isn’t comfortable around people easily -it’s hard to develop strong social skills when you grow up lonely and rejected. 

It makes my heart feel a little too full to see them like this. 

Lamb makes a joke, which I could have heard if I was paying attention to anything other than how relaxed they look, making Simon laugh, this genuine, undignified laugh that catches him off guard and sounds a little funny. 

It’s objectively an ugly sound. But for my ridiculously cheesy heart, it’s like the prettiest piece of piano Lamb could play.

I have to bite my lip to prevent a smile from growing on my face as I head towards them.

**…**

**Lamb**

I knew Baz had arrived home the moment he opened the door, but Simon didn’t seem to notice and I was rather enjoying myself talking to him, so I didn’t mention it. 

Baz didn’t come close for a moment, so I suppose he didn’t mind, or didn’t want to break whatever fragile, friendly moment the both of us were having. 

Even if we’ve been spending some time together, occasionally, as Baz had something to do that left us both alone in the same room, it was always a little hostile. Today it wasn’t, though. Maybe the piano put Simon in a good mood. 

Now I can’t ignore Baz’s return, though, because he’s sliding a paper bag that smells warm and sweet on the counter, towards Simon.

“Surprise,” he says, with his most deadpan voice, which makes Simon giggle some more.

“What’s that?” he asks, pretending not to know even though I spoiled the surprise.

He would probably have guessed just from the smell of the pastries anyway. 

He opens the bag, his eyes sparkling when they fall on the scones.

It’s endearing, really. It’s so rare to see people enjoy little things this much.

“Oh my God, thank you!” Simon exclaims, giving Baz a bright smile as his hand dives into the bag, to take out one of the pastries. “I haven’t had scones in ages.”

**…**

**Baz**

“You come here often enough,” I tell him, opening a cabinet to take out the butter, that I specifically stored here and not in the fridge like Lamb and I usually do so that it would be soft for Snow to spread on his scones. “You could go to the bakery.”

I grab a butter knife, and hand both things to Snow, who shrugs. “I always leave your place much too late for that. Besides I’m sure they cost a lot if they come from somewhere in your neighbourhood and I’m not paying 15 quid for a couple of scones.”

I roll my eyes. Of course. 

Though he’s right. The scones are overpriced. But he likes them.

He spreads some butter on the scone in his hand, just as Lamb climbs off his chair. 

He puts his hand on the small of my back for a second, making me meet his eyes. “I’ll be in my office.”

“You can stay,” Simon blurts out around a mouthful of pastry, making my eyebrows shoot up and both my and Lamb’s heads turn to him.

Clearly he didn’t mean to say that out loud, because he flushes.

“I just mean,” he continues after he swallows. “You don’t have to leave just ‘cause I’m here. It’s your place. And we were having a good time before Baz came in.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Baz**

“You were right after all,” Lamb says, flicking his wrist to swirl a drink the same colour as the twilight sky in front of us. 

“Right about what?”

“Simon’s a lovely boy. He seemed to be in the mood to interact with me without being hostile today, it was sweet. We had a good time while you were gone. When you came back too, of course, but then you were here, it’s not as delicate a situation as when Simon and I were alone together.”

I hum. I’m glad he thinks that. 

I had assumed he and Simon had had a relatively good time while I was on my way to the bakery, but it’s comforting to hear it. It gives me some hope that maybe they can get along. 

“I’m happy to hear that,” I tell him, shifting as my back is starting to become sore.

_ You could always sit in a chair _ , I hear him say in my head. But a chair doesn’t feel as nice as the soft material of his pyjama bottoms against my cheek and his free hand resting on top of my head, occasionally playing with my hair.

“You should invite Simon here more often. I think we may be able to be friends, if his animosity towards me doesn’t resurface.”

That hope, again, making a warm feeling spread through my chest.

“He isn’t the only one with a certain animosity towards the other,” I say, a smile on my face and in my voice.

“ _ My  _ reasons are better than his,” Lamb says, with a ridiculously pompous voice that makes me chuckle. “He hurt you. The only thing  _ I  _ did to upset him is… you.”

It takes me a second to get the joke, but when I do, I snort.

“That pun wasn’t even funny,” I say, shaking my head. “However if you made a few of those to Simon I’m sure he’d be head over heels for you. He loves bad jokes.”

“Oh, I know. I made him quite a few of those.  _ Finally _ , someone who appreciates my jokes. Be careful, I might dump you for him before you can dumb  _ me  _ for him,” Lamb teases, pulling my hair just enough to make me look up at his smirking face.

I try to smile back at him, but I think it comes out more as a grimace.

I don’t realize that I’m pulling my knees closer to my chest. I don’t realize that my eyes are becoming too vulnerable. I don’t realize that words are coming out of my mouth.

“I don’t want to dump you for him.”

“Baz. Of course you do. You look at him like he’s the 8th Wonder of the World.”

That I do. Because he is, for me. In my mind, Simon Snow will always be the golden hero he was during our school days. Good. Pure. Glorious. The most kind-hearted man I know. The most beautiful too, with those blue eyes of a shade so common but so special to me, those bronze curls, that look like the most precious of gold under the sunlight, and this blinding smile that has melted the ice around my heart like nothing else since I first saw it.

He’s Simon Snow. He’s the love of my life. I would cross every line for him. I would walk through hell for him. My passion for him only increases as time goes by. And I want him. I want him so much it hurts.

But I love Lamb too. I love the peace and quiet. I love the way his face only truly lights up for me, I love that he drops his act, that doesn’t play a role with me like he does with practically everyone else. I love that this man who promised himself not to let someone in ever again, in fear of getting hurt, still somehow developed feelings for me. 

I love how I feel when I’m with him. And I love how I feel when I’m with Simon.

“But the thing is,” I say as I move my arm so that it’s around his leg, hugging it and hiding my face from him by resting my cheek against his knee and looking down. “I want Simon. But I don’t want to lose you.”

I hear him sigh. He puts his glass down on the small table by his side. Soon, his hand is on my shoulder, asking me to turn away to look at him just like his hand on my hair does.

I’m not sure I want to face his gaze, but I turn around anyway. 

One of his hands wanders until it brushes the leather of my collar. 

“If it was up to me, you could have the both of us, sweetheart. As long as you told me beforehand, I wouldn’t mind if you got together with Simon.” He tugs my collar as he says that, making me close my eyes and sigh softly. “I don’t think he would be okay with this, though. You’ll have to make a choice, eventually, and when you’re brave enough to, we both know you’ll choose him, Baz. Yes, it might be strange for you at first, maybe even hurt you, to lose me, but you’ll only lose me as a lover. We could be friends. In all honesty, I  _ hope  _ you will wish to stay friends when you go back to Simon.”

“Of course I will,” I say defensively, tightening my hold on his leg.

He smiles tenderly. “Good. So see, there’s no reason to worry. You’ll still have me.”

“It’s not the same.”

I sound like a whiny child. I  _ am  _ a whiny child. A whiny, selfish child who can’t make a decision.

How horrible a person does it make me that I can’t - no, that I  _ don’t want  _ to- choose between them? I’m certainly not the first person whose heart longed for two people at the same time, and I’m sure all of those other people eventually made up their mind.

Besides, just like Lamb said, I  _ know  _ that if I had to choose it would be Simon, so why can’t I just stop being so self-centered and try to get back together with him instead of staying with Lamb because I’m comfortable with him?

I’m only making Simon suffer with my indecisiveness…

Lamb tugs my collar harder, making my eyes fly back on him.

“I can almost hear you think. Stop that. You’re hurting yourself.”

“I can’t just  _ stop  _ thinking, Lamb,” I scoff.

Not on my own, without any… external help, at least. That is a skill I unfortunately still haven’t acquired. 

“Think about other things then.”

“I  _ can’t _ ,” I snap, raising my voice more than I usually would with Lamb. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about since I came back from the bakery and saw the two of you together, I… I love him so much, but I love you too, and I want him, but I want you too, and I don’t want to lose you, but I don’t want not to have him either, and… It’s so fucking awful.”

**…**

**Lamb**

My poor Baz.

He looks so confused, so lost.

I know it shouldn’t be something I should be delighted about, but I’m quite glad that  _ this  _ is the hardest challenge Baz has to face at the moment. A silly love matter. Considering the things I’ve seen him go through, or that I know he has gone through in the past, seeing him in distress for something so trivial, it doesn’t seem that serious.

Relationships haven’t been this serious for me in a long time. I do whatever my heart wants. If I was in Baz’s position… I’d simply try to have both Simon and me. But I know him. He won’t try to have that. He probably think he  _ cannot  _ have that, and I must admit that considering Simon’s jealousy, it doesn’t seem very likely that Baz could have us both, but in my opinion, it’s worth a shot.

Besides, if Baz had us both… maybe I would have them both, and I can’t say there isn’t something terribly attractive about Simon. Maybe it’s the mortality, though mortals have never been my first choice when it comes to potential partners, even just for sex. 

Maybe it’s the fierceness in his eyes, or the almost  _ too much  _ way he lives life. When you’re undead and have existed for as long as I have, you don’t have this  _ aliveness  _ that Simon has. It’s not even a thing that all mortals have, I’ve met plenty of mortals who simply existed through the motions, while Simon truly  _ lives.  _ If a fast heartbeat and flushed cheeks were a person, it would be Simon. 

Baz compares him to the sun. He reminds me more of the ocean, always in motion, a force of nature. But the ocean always seemed to me like it was the most alive element in all of nature, even compared with trees and plants and the entire flora, really.

I sink further into my seat, tapping Baz’s neck with two fingers to make him understand that I want him to stand up. He does, and I pull him into my lap. I kiss his temple, and hold the back of his head to keep his face there. 

“Just do whatever feels right. If for the moment, you’re fine with the situation you’re in, you don’t have to change it. We’re not going anywhere, neither Simon, neither myself, no matter the role you want us to play in your life.”

**…**

Long after the sky goes dark, after the second spell Baz cast on us to keep us warm fades, we eventually go back inside, and to bed. It’s still rather early, but Baz hasn’t been able to fully relax all night, so sleeping on it might be the best thing he can do right now.

I make sure to hold him a little tighter and kiss him a little more tenderly than usually.

**…**

**Simon**

When my phone buzzes, I ignore it. I told Baz, Penny, Liv and Niall that I was working on my appliance to culinary school this afternoon so that they’d know not to text me, and they’re the only people who  _ ever _ text me.

If it was important, they’d call.

**…**

Thank fucking Merlin I didn’t check that message earlier, I would have abandoned my laptop completely. 

It’s from Lamb -I’m still surprised that he has my number even if it’s been months- and it’s intriguing, to say the least.

[2:41 pm]  _ Hello. Do you think we could meet tomorrow? Just the two of us, Baz will be in Hampshire. _ ****

I quickly type an answer, because I need to know what this is about. Did I make such a good impression on him the other day that he wants to meet me alone? Would I mind if he wanted?

I mean.

He isn’t that bad.

And I’m sure Baz would be happy if Lamb and I were friends. I like it when Baz is happy.

[5:08 pm] **why though?**

**…**

**Lamb**

Took him long enough. He isn’t supposed to work on Saturday afternoons, I know it because that’s when Baz and him often meet. It was last Saturday that I chatted with him as Baz was away, last Saturday that I saw that there was maybe more to that boy than I thought. It’s something I’d like to explore more, but that can’t happen if Baz is around. Simon will inevitably be pulled to Baz if he’s here, and he’ll also behave with me not to upset Baz. We have to be alone if I want to

face the most honest and raw version of Simon Snow. 

I hope he’ll accept…

**…**

**Lamb** : I want to spend time with you.

**Simon** : but WHY?

**Lamb** : I’m friends with Dev, I’m friends with Niall. His parents like me, so do his siblings. His aunt doesn’t hate me either. You’re the last person who matters to Baz with whom I don’t have a good relationship. Besides, I rather enjoyed myself the other day. So, are you free tomorrow or not?

**Simon** : uh, yeah i guess. when can i come?

**Lamb** : That’s what she said.

**Simon** : ????

**Lamb** : It’s a joke, Simon. Whatever. Come around 11. We’ll go out for lunch. I find bonding more easy when it’s done around a good meal. 

**Simon** : ok but nothing fancy i’m not paying 50 quid for a meal

**Lamb** : No worries, I’ll pay

**Simon** : no

**Lamb** : … Whatever. See you tomorrow.

**…**

**Simon**

What the fuck?

**…**

**Baz**

I can tell he has something to tell me the moment I see Lamb’s face on the mirror in front of me. Pity. When I heard his footsteps, I thought we were going to have some quite enjoyable bathroom sex. It’s been a while since the last time he bent me over that counter. 

The way he lays his hands on my hips, perfectly placed to touch both the thin material of my pants and the skin over the waistband, really doesn’t help me keeping my dirty thoughts at bay. I imagine him pulling on my hips hard just to get my feet off the floor before letting go of one of my sides to push between my shoulder blades so that my chest is pressed against the counter, and then to tug my pants down…

_ Focus, Baz. _

My cheeks are slightly flushed when I look back at him in the mirror. He smirks, probably well aware of what I’m thinking about, before becoming serious again. 

“I simply came here to tell you that I will meet Simon tomorrow, for lunch, while you’re visiting your parents.”

What?

I frown, turning around to be face to face with him directly, and not through a mirror. 

“What? Why?”

“Because I want to. I’d like to get to know him, the version of him that he is when you’re not around.”

That makes sense? I suppose?

Either way I’m not going to complain about it. 

I hum. “Well, okay. Why are you telling me, though? I won’t be here, it's not my concern.”

The fingers of his right hand move on my side like they do on his piano.

“I had no reason to hide it from you. Simon will probably mention it anyway. He seemed particularly puzzled, even through text.”

I can’t say that’s surprising. If I was Simon, I would be confused if Lamb texted me saying he wants to meet me. 

“Hm, you’re right, Simon will tell me all about it. So don’t traumatize him,” I add with a smile.

_ Simon  _ is more likely to traumatize Lamb than the opposite. Lamb actually controls the words that come out of his mouth, while Simon just blurts out things and thinks afterwards.

Lamb smiles back. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Then he leans in to peck my lips, and that’s when the mood shifts.

He kisses me quickly, chastly, but when he moves back, he has this glint in his eyes that goes straight to my cock. 

“Now that that’s settled…” he starts, leaving his sentence unfinished as he flips me around.

My hips hit the counter and I have to rest my hand on the mirror so as not to fall on my face on the cold marble. I choke back a moan.

“Lamb, I just took a shower,” I whine as he hooks his fingers under the waistband of my pants.

He kisses my shoulder. His voice vibrates against my skin as he next speaks, the eyes of his reflection locking on mine. 

“I suppose you’ll have to take another one.”


End file.
